The ethane plant, which would process lucrative byproduct of PA's Marcellus and Utica shale-gas fields for industrial chemicals, could create up to 20,000 jobs, according to the Corbett administration.

That's a big prize - but PA had to sell itself over tough competition from Ohio and West Virginia. The plant is still not built. The tax break is intended, the Capitolwire report says, as a sweetener to make sure it will be built in PA.

According to DeCoursey: "Typically, the governor is being secretive about it. He is trying to give away that much taxpayer money without telling anyone until the little-read and arcane tax code bill is enacted later this month."

But why would Shell need a tax break - in a tax-free zone? DeCoursey suggests the Shell deal will "mimic the favorite provision of many companies who use the Pennsylvania Film Tax Credit" - allowing the beneficiary to sell the tax breaks, at a discount, to other Pennsylvania companies so they don't have to pay state taxes, either.

That film credit used to be unpopular among PA Republicans, but as I reported here Philadelphia lawyer Jeffrey Rotwitt brought the Republicans around, convincing tourism-dependent reps to back both the film credits and Rotwitt's state-subsidized movie studio in Delaware County.

"Here’s another weird part," adds DeCoursey: "No one has told the legislative leaders, at least as of late-night Sunday, June 3rd, whether this is something Shell asked for, something Shell demanded or something to which Corbett has already agreed." So maybe, DeCoursey suggests, the Shell break is a bargaining chip for other Corbett goals.